Who is Watching Fahrenheit 9/11

Well, I saw Fahrenheit 9/11. How Michael Moore managed to make a movie that criticized the "anti-terrorism" actions of the Bush administration in the US while only mentioning the abuse of Arab-Americans is beyond me. How can he criticize at length our flying Bin Laden family members out of the country without questioning and not talk at length about what we did to Arab-Americans here? As cute as it is to see Michael Moore driving an Ice Cream truck and reading the Patriot Act, I am more interested in threats, imprisonments, searches, and interrogations because of the anti-Arab-American sentiment and actions authorized and encouraged by the goverment.

He did make sure to carefully document how white folks were inconvenienced, though, in a way that was more humourous than anything else. It reminded me of the advertisements I've seen for "The Terminal". NO direct address to the populations in America specifically targeted. And we all know, if Michael Moore isn't hitting you over the head with it, he doesn't want you to know it.

Michael Moore can separate class from race in a way I find amazing. He made important points about how enlistment is in no way "voluntary" when the military provides the only access to education and jobs. He managed to respectfully show the strength and difficult position of people in lower-class and rural communities who must believe in the war because their children are giving their lives to it. I am worried that he spends too much time making silly little jabs at Bush that only appeal to those who already hate him. And I am nervous that his blatant ignoring the racial-profiling and unjust imprisonment is both dangerous in its tacit approval and weakening to his overall point. It also tells you exactly who his audience is. And what he doesn't want them to focus on. That's my two uninformed cents.

Attractive female in search of attractive male friend

I saw this is the "strictly platonic" listings on craigslist. If you post that, you are either a blatant liar looking for a boyfriend or seriously shallow. If you want to meet the kind of guys who will respond to that, you should just go on Elimidate and save the typing time.

The great apartment search

Stef and I are currently apartment hunting. Sunday-Thursday of last week we drove and walked for 8-10 hours a day, searching for a place with a dishwasher near bus lines. We finally decided we wanted to live in Capitol Hill because of the huge access to transportation and the huge access to gay and gay-friendly people. We have two apartments in the running:

1. The chill place. $700/mo including parking. A bit too small for us to fully stretch out, but lots of closet space, an awesome landlord who said "you can do anything you want, it's your apartment", a small stone patio, and gardening space.

2. The huge place. $885/mo including parking, but we would have to get them down to $815 max to consider it. It is like 950 sq. feet, the kitchen is a dream, and it gets a lot of light. But you can hear people walk above you, and the building is less chill (though still lets you paint and put up shelves).

So it goes. Both landlords are gone for the weekend, so we're giving ourselves some space. Every 30 minutes I switch which apartment is "the ONLY choice". It's ridiculous.

"Progressive Penises"

While on Capitol Hill I got in a shouting match with these guys who had a sign saying "Kerry is impotent. Grow some balls and change the system" talking about the US's torture. I aked why they needed to use the power of the (erect) penis to make their point. They FREAKED out because "it's just a saying" and I'm "getting all worked up and need to calm down". Insulting Kerry by saying he can't have an erection and others for not having balls is NOT about the power of the penis, apparently. Who knew?

My mistake really, I thought the sign was misrepresenting their point, turns out it was QUITE accurate. It started with them denying the phallocentricity of their sign and ended with all three of them LITERALLY yelling at me about how "not getting an erection IS a problem! Otherwise the human race would end!" and how I "DO need to find a man to impregnate me!". It was surreal.

When it became clear that they really DID think it was all about the penis and it's truly amazing procreative powers, I got out of there saying "well, I'd better go find one quick!" Silly me, I forget it's okay to be trans-and-homophobic and sexist if you have a good cause.

Things that are embarassing

Having the ITS woman matter-of-factly ask me my security question: "What's your beautful girlfriend's name?" Luckily, it was on the phone, so she could not see how red my face was as I sullenly replied "Stefanie".